St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Newcomers Page

Welcome Newcomers

Pastor: Fr. Jose Thomas Mudakodiyil

I am very happy to welcome you to our exciting St. Francis of Assisi Parish Website. Our intent is to reach you wherever you are. This will help us to stay connected as a Church family, even when you cannot be physically present in the Church with the rest of the Church community. This website will give you an amazing overview of the Church and its activities. I hope you will find it useful and can find all the information you are looking for. We have tried to make it as informative and user-friendly as possible. I want to invite you to browse through the various pages of our website.

Our Church offers a number of ministries in which you can get involved in the Church. It is my prayer that all the parishioners who browse through this website will be inspired to get involved in one or more ministries in our Church. Please give it some thought and prayer. All that we have comes from God. Let us give back to him as good stewards by sharing our time, talent, and material resources with the Church. "Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing will be poured out into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will, in return, be measured out to you” (Luke 6:38). Have a great time browsing through the pages of this website.

Fr. Shaji arrived at our parish in September 2021, from Kerala India. He joined the Religious Order of the Oblates of the Sacred Heart in 1991, and he became a permanent religious of the Order in 1998. After completing his studies in Philosophy and Theology, Fr. Shaji was ordained a priest on December 27, 2001. In his priestly ministry, Fr. Shaji worked as an Assistant Superior in the seminary, an Associate Pastor, a Pastor, and as a Hospital Chaplain.

Parachial Vicar: Fr. Shaji Thomas Cheolickal

Deacon Stephen McGlone

Deacon Steve and his wife, Mary, moved to Bend in 2015 from Tacoma, WA. They have 3 children and 5 grandchildren. Deacon Steve was ordained in the Archdiocese of Seattle in 2007 and served at St. Charles Borromeo parish in Tacoma where he was the parish administrator. Prior to working at St. Charles, Deacon Steve had a career in fundraising working mostly for the University of Puget Sound and St. Martin's University. Mary worked as a school counselor for Tacoma Public Schools where she also served as the head of their crisis team.

Deacon Steve is our coordinator for liturgy and stewardship and Mary is the coordinator for funerals and the parish's grief ministry. Both are also involved with Alpha.